Sept. 22, 2009

DAVIS, Calif. - The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook has named Mark Payne as its preseason Big West Conference Player of the Year. The annual publication also picked UC Davis to finish fourth in the Big West in 2009-10. Payne is coming off a sophomore season in which he received Second-Team All-Big West honors.

Payne is one of five student-athletes to be named to Blue Ribbon's preseason All-Big West Team. Larry Anderson (Long Beach State), Orlando Johnson (UC Santa Barbara), T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State) and Kyle Austin (UC Riverside) are the others.

Blue Ribbon is picking Long Beach State to top the Big West, followed by Pacific, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis. Defending champion Cal State Northridge, UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and Cal Poly round out the preseason poll.

Payne finished the 2008-09 season with 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He led the Aggies in assists, steals and field goal percentage.

UC Davis opens its regular season Nov. 13 at the Basketball Travelers Tip-Off in Eugene, Ore.